Yarn separator



Jan. 6, 1942. J. l. TAYLOR YETAL YARN SEPARATOR Original Filed Dc. 2, 193 6 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 6, 1942.

J. I. TAYLOR-HAL YARN SEPARATOR Original Filed Dec. 2,1936" 2 Sheets-Shegt 2 gym 1W Josey/'1 759/01,

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Patented Jan. 6, 1942 YARN SEPARATOR Joseph E. Taylor and Karl T. Schaefer. Elizabeth ton,

Tenn, assignors to North American Rayon Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation oi Delaware (Jontinuation oi application Serial No. 113,869, December 2, 31936. This application February 2?, 1940, Serial No. 321,087

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to the skeining of yarn but primarily has-for its object to devise a novel arrangement to replace theusual thread lacings now in use.

Thread in skein form is usually required for certain courses of treatment, such as bleaching and dyeing, and frequently for the sale thereof. To obtain yarn or thread in this form the process of reeling is necessary- The thread is wound on a reel and as it is wound has imparted thereto by a traverse guide an oscillating motion for imparting the usual cross wind to the said thread. Due to the rapid revolution of the reel a cross-winding is produced which is very shallow. The reel is provided with a contrivance by means of which its circumference can be greatly reduced by folding inwards some of the bars (usually one or two) which form its circumference, in order that the hanks may readily be removed. Before their removal the hacks are slreined; that is they are tied together at three or tour places by threads which hold together definite bundles of thread at the points in question, otherwise when the skeins'are treated during the various manipulations necessary during handling and wet-treatment, the individual strands of the same tend to become linked or hooked with one another so that the finished skein is dirficult to unwind during further rewinding operations which are necessary. It is for these reasons that tying strings must be used requiring a lacing operation and then tying the ends together.

While the use of tying strings has beenv fairly satisfactory there is always the danger that the said strings may become untied and cause tangles and further, time consumed in the lacing and tying of the strings increases the cost of production.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to devise a novel means for holding together the bundles of thread and replace the skein will act to spread the same whereby better and more uniform treatment 'of the threads is accomplished.

These and other objects of the present invenoperation and the tying of knots.

tion will in part become obvious and will impart be pointed out in the following specifiactlon and appended claims when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view disclosing the usual skein with our novel tying elements attached thereto, V

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 2? of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion of a reel with the invention attached thereto;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of the invention, and

Fig. 6 is another view similar to Fig. 2 showing another modified form of the invention,

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the rigid holder element which is adapted to facilitate the'insertion of the tying device in the yarn body,

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the holder element illustrated in- Fig. 7, and

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the opposite side I of the holder element illustrated in Fig. 7.

In the drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts, 6 refers to the usual type of skein which is ordinarily secured together in a plurality of places by tying strings.

The novel tying device comprising the invention consists generally of a comb-like aiiair having a plurality of fingers i which are adapted to extend through the thread bundles of the skein and thereby separate them and lceep them separated. The fingers 3 are joined to each other at one end as indicated at 5. Adjacent fingers 3 and bottoms 5 form the spaces 6 in which the thread bundles are retained.

The fingers 3 at their other ends have formed therein openings 7 through which a tying memformed as another finger for encircling the out side of the skein and is recessed at H to receive the end E2 of the tying member 8.

In operation, after the bank has been formed I on the reel, the operator inserts the fingers 3 through the hank, threads the tying element 8 through the openings 7 and inserts the end l'l of the tying element 8 into the recess ii; and the hank has been skelned eliminating the lacing The comb-like tying device may be made of soft, flexible rubber, may be made rigid and in this instance the tying finger may be clamped in place as a separate element, or it may be formed. as a rigid comb-like affair with a'fiexible tying element attached in any suitable manner. It is preferably unitary and self -sustaining.'

The tying element may also comprise a comblike affair having spaced fingers with openings at the ends of all fingers whereby it may be inserted into a yarn body and then have a tying string inserted through the openings of the said fingers for securing the said element in the yarn body By using the tying device in this manner,

as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the lacing adapted to be inserted through a hank to formseparate thread bundles and means to secure the comb-like element in place in the skein thus formed.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. of the drawings the tying element may be formed with a corrugated surface in order to facilitate the v passage of treating liquids therearound.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings the tying element may have still another cross-section to facilitate the passage of treating fluids.

Should the tying element be made entirely of a material such as soft rubber means to facilitate the insertion of the said device in the hank may be desirable. In Fig. 7 of the drawings is illustrated a multi-fingered, comb-like holder element made of rigid material in which the tying element may be positioned prior to insertion in the yarn hank.

The holder element comprises a base or handhold portion I3 havin finger members H extending therefrom and at their other ends formed as angular tapered projections 15.

The finger members H and base l3 are recessed at IE to receive the tying element and to carry the said tying element therein during insertion through the hank. After insertion of the holder and tying element the tying element is fastened in place as described in the foregoing description.

The base l3 of the holder may be recessed as shown at I! to receive the thumb of the operator and be ridged at I8 to form a grip for the fingers of the said operator.

The tying element, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of 'the drawings, may be inserted in a slot I9 of a reel bar 20, or attached in any other suitable manner, before the startof the reeling operation and the threads cross wound at the outset in the bundle spaces 6.

When used in this manner all that is necessary is for the operator, at the end of .the winding operation, to fasten the tying element in place, collapse the reel and remove the finished skein.-

In view of the foregoing description it is readily seen that applicants have simplified the skeining operation and produced a more positive tying device.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying; drawings, it--.is thought the complete construction, operation, and advantages of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

It is of course to be understood that the form of the invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

This is a continuation of our copending application Ser. No. 113,869 for Yarn separator," filed December 2, 1936.

Having thus described the invention as prescribed by the patent statutes, what we claim is:

I. A device for use with yarn bodies, skeins, etc., comprising a comb-like element having a plurality of spaced fingers for insertion into a yarn body, said fingers having openings formed in the ends thereof, a flexible extension at one end of said comb-like element adapted to encircle the outer edge of said yarn body and to .be threaded through the openings in said fingers,

and a finger formed at the opposite end of said comb-like element and means to receive and hold the end of said flexible extension.

2. A device for use with yarn bodies, skeins, etc., comprising a pre-formed flexible multifingered element and rigid means for inserting said element in a yarn body, said inserting means having a digitated rear or outer surface which is generally continuous and a front surface which is provided with a plurality of recesses, one for each finger of said element.

3. In a device foruse with yarn bodies, skeins, etc., in combination, a separating device for yarn bodies comprising a multifingered element of readily flexible material, and a complemental holding element of rigid material receiving said multifingered element to facilitate insertion of the element of flexible material ina yarn body, said holding element having a recessed portion and a ridged portion in its undigitated part for receiving the hand of an operator.

4. A device for separating and tying yarn bodies comprising a unitary, comb-like element having a plurality of spaced fingers for insertion into a yarn body, and means engaging the fingers to close the spaces between the ends of adjacent fingers, said fingers being corrugated to cause a treating liquid to pass therearound.

5. A device of the class described comprising a comb-like element having a plurality of spaced fingers, and means to close the space between the free ends of adjacent fingers, the free end of each of said fingers being provided with means to receive said closing means.

6. A skein lacing device comprising a unitary. self-sustaining,'multifingered element and flexible means to secure said element in a skein, said flexible means bein positively engagedwith the end of each of the fingers of said element.

'7. A skein lacing device comprising a unitary,

self-sustaining, multifingered element and 'fiex JOSEPH I. TAYLOR.

KARL T. SCHAEFER. 

